Combination folding chair and table



Sept. 27, 1949. M. AMADUCCI Filed Dec. 13; 1945 COMBINATION FOLDING CHAIR AND TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG; 1. a;

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p 1949. M. AMADUCCI 2,483,309

COMBINATION FOLDING CHAIR AND TABLE Filed Dec. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4. FIG. 5.

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Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT O F F ICE.

CONIBINATIGN FOLDING GHAIR- AND TABLE Mario Amad'ucci, Martinez, Calif.

. Application December 13, 1945, Serial No. 634,725

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to combination furniture and more particularly to a combination folding chair and table or tabouret.

The principal-object of the invention is to provide. such a device which compact when folded, and sturdy and attractive when extended to function as a chair, or partly-extend to serve as a table or tabouret.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit of this character which may be manufactured at a low cost, made mainly from materials such as wood, metal. or plastics with parts so constructed and arranged as to remain. in good repair even tho subjected to rough handling and considerable load;

A further object of the invention is to provide such adevice which, when extended to act as a. chair, has many of the desirable characteristics of modern chairs, such as a seat portion, wider at the front than at there'ar, and a back rest of somewhat fan shape, that. is, wider at its upper portion than at its connection with the seat portion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description. of the preferred embodiment of my invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming. a part of this specification and in which drawings Fig, l is a perspective View of the unit extended. to serve as a chair.

Fig 2 is a perspective View showing the back rest in a folded position whereby the. unit may serve'as a table or tabouriet.

- Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the unit completely folded so as to be compactly shipped and stored.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional-view thru the unit, transversally of the seat portion and back rest, when the unit is extended. to act as. a chair.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the unit as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan; view of the unit serving as a chair.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional viewon the. line ll of Fig. 6. r r

Fig. 8 is'an enlarged sectional. view on the. line. 8--8 of Fig. 6.-

The folding chair and table comprises a seat. or service portion ill, a legged substructure ll pivotally connected thereto, a back rest [2 pivotally connected to the seat or service portion, and a. stop bar l3 for the back rest which also serves-- to brace the seat or service portion.

The seat or service. portion comprises a. front. cross rail M; a rear cross rail 15 spaced from and parallel to the front cross rail; 2. pair [6 of spaced companion slats l1 and [8 at each side of the seat. or service portion; and a plurality of spaced intermediate slats l9 spaced. between the pairs 16 of slats. These slats ll; l8 and 19 are preferably secured upon the rail l4 as by fa-stening device's 2n and upon the rail l5 by fastening device'slfl so as to extend across the space between the rails. This arrangement provides a space 22 between the slats I! and I8 of each pair l6 and spaces 23 between the slats l9 and between the pairs [60f slats and the intermediate slats 19.

For a purpose to be: subsequently set forth theslats I! and [8 of each pair 16. are preferably pro vided with axially aligned sockets 25 and 26 respectively open to. the space 22 and located rearwardly with respect to, but adjacent the front rail 14, and also the slats l1, l8. and H) are preferably provided with aligned transverse holes 21 located forwardly of but adjacent to the rear rail I 5. It is also preferred. to make each slat 11 wedgeshaped in plan and disposeit with its widest end 28' at the front cross rail [4-, whereby the seat. or

service portion is wider at its front than. at its rear. These slats I] may be economically cut from board material of suitable uniform width by adiagonal cut, so that there is little waste in producing them.

Referring. now to the legged substructure ll, it maybe similar to that shown in Patent 1,697,550 granted to me January 1, 1929, on. folding tables, or similar articles. It preferably comprises a pair of front legs 30; a pair of rear legs 3|; cross bracing 32 and 33 for the legs '30 and 3|, respectively; and support means 34 for holding the legs in either an extended or a folded position. The front legs 3% are each provided with a transverse hole. 35 in its upper portion to align with the sockets 25 and 25; as shown in Fig. 8, and the rear legs 3| are each provided with a transverse hole 36 in its upper end for alignment with the holes 21 in the slats. l1, l8 and I9. I

Each leg 30 is also provided with a notch 31 at. its front upper end. portion providing an up wardly facing shoulder 38 to engage the underside of rail I l when the leg is in an operative position. The shoulder 38 preferably slopes downwardly and forwardly so as to brace the leg in a downwardly and outwardly sloping position when in use. Likewise each leg 31. is provided with a notch 39 at its rear upper end portion to provide a shoulder for engagement with the underside of rail l5.

The cross bracing 32 and 33 may each comprise strips 4| arranged in cross fashion, secured together as by a rivet 42 at the central portions, the strips 4! having their end portions secured to the front faces of the legs as by fastening devices 43.

The support means 34 may be similar to that shown in the aforesaid Patent 1,697,550 and comprises a cleat secured transversally to the underside of slats l8 and I9 as by fastening devices t5, the cleat being located substantially midway of the rails is and [5; a U-shaped brace 41 for the legs 38 having its bight portion 48 adapted to abut against one face of the cleat when the legs are extended and its arms 49 pivoted as V at 50 to the legs 30 and extending from the inner faces thereof; a U-shaped brace 52 for the legs 3| having its bight portion 53 adapted to abut against the opposite face of the cleat when the legs are extended and its arms 54 pivoted as at 55 to the legs 3| and extending from the outer faces thereof; and a latch or turn button 55 pivoted to the underside of cleat 45 and adapted to swing so that one of its arms 5'! engages beneath the strips til of the legs 30, when they are folded, as shown in Fig. 3, to keep them from dropping down when the unit is being handled or stored in an upright position.

As suitable means for pivoting the legs 30 to the seat portion, I provide a short front hinge rod 58 for each leg, the rod extending thru hole 35 and having its end portions accommodated in the sockets 25 and 26, as shown in Fig. 8. I also provide a spacing sleeve 59 encircling the rod 58 to keep the leg against one side face of its adjacent slat I8. Thus the rod 58 is concealed from View and does not traverse the spaces 23 and in this respect differs from the construction shown in the aforesaid Patent 1,697,550. As suitable means for pivoting the legs 3| to the seat portion, I provide a rear hinge rod 60 extending thru the holes 21 and 36, and extending beyond the outer sides of slats I! to also act as pivots for the back rest, as subsequently described. Suitable spacing sleeves 6| may also be provided encircling the rod 6!! to keep the rear legs against the side faces of slats I1 and function in a manner similar to the sleeves 59.

The back rest 12 comprises spaced side rails 62, a top rail 63 connecting the side rails, and a plurality of strips 64 intermediate the side rails connected at their upper ends to the top rail 63, these slats to serve as a back support when the unit is used as a chair, as shown in Fig. 1, and to fill the spaces 23 when the unit is used as a table or tray as shown in Fig. 2.

The side rails are provided with transverse holes 65 at their lower ends to receive the end portions of rod 60 which latter may be upset to provide rivet-like heads 66, and the side rails preferably diverge outwardly from their pivotal connection withthe seat portion H] to give good appearance to the unit and to give a wider back support when the unit is used as a chair.

The strips 64 are provided with transverse holes 61 at their lower end portions to also receive the rod 60, as shown in Fig. 7, and have their lower ends rounded or beveled as at 68 so as to not interfere with pivotal movement when swinging the back rest up and down. It is preferred to make the strips 64 of a depth less than the depth of the side rails 52 since this gives better appearance and conserves material, but to avoid placing too much strain on the material from which the strips are made the rear cross rail 15 is located l. the rear end portions of the slats and may be secured to the slats l! and the rail [5 as by rivets H.

When the unit is folded for storage, shipment, or for use as a tray, the legs 30 and 3| are accommodated in the spaces 22, and the strips 64 are accommodated in the spaces 23 presenting a substantially fiat surface upon which articles may rest. By swinging the legs 30 and 3! downwardly and bracing them by means 34 the unit may be used as a. table or tabouret. Upon swinging the back rest up, until its side rails 62 engage the stop bar 43 and the strips 64 engage the rail I5, the unit may be used as a chair.

By having the side rails 62 of a depth greater than the depth of the strips 64 there is provided a rim along the side edges of the seat portion when the back rest is folded down, thus tending to keep articles from sliding off the slats l1, l8 and I9 and the strips 64 as may be observed from' Fig. 2. The outer edges of the slats ll substantially parallel the diverging side rails 62 when the back rest is folded down, as shown in Fig. 3, and the strips 64 rest upon the front rail l4 when the back rest is in a folded position. The use of the relatively short hinge rods 58 permits of compact folding of the unit since, when folded, the slats i1, [8 and I9, the

legs 30 and 3!, the side rails 62 and the strips 64 are all in substantially the same plane.

I claim:

1. A folding convertible chair-table comprising, a horizontal seat or service portion comprising front and rear spaced cross rails, and spaced parallel slats secured upon said rails and extending across the space therebetween; a front pair and a rear pair of legs for the support of said seat or service portion, arranged with their upper end portions between said slats, adjacent the ends of said rails; a rear hinge rod extending transversally thru said slats and thru the upper end portions of said rear pair of legs, said hinge rod being located forwardly of said rear rail and spaced a distance therefrom whereby the rear legs abut against said rear rail when they are in a supporting position, and partially fill the space between adjacent slats when they are in a folded position; a front hinge rod for each of the legs of said front pair of legs, each of said front hinge rods extending across the space between the adjacent slats of its respective leg and extending transversally thru the upper portion of its respective leg, and said front hinge rods being located rearwardly of said front rail and spaced a distance therefrom whereby the front legs abut against said front rail when they are in a supporting position and partially fill the space between adjacent slats when they are in a folded position; a back rest comprising spaced side rails, a top rail connecting said rails, and a plurality of strips intermediate said side rails and secured to said top rail, said side rails and strips being hingedly supported by said rear hinge rod and said strips extending between the slats of said seat or serviceportion, whereby they substantially fill the spaces between their respective slats when the back rest is swung down'to' a folded .5 position; and a stop bar secured to the upper rear portions of said slats, against which said side rails abut when the back rest is up.

2. In a folding chair, the combination of a seat including a front cross rail and spaced parallel slats extending rearwardly from said rail and secured thereto, said slats being arranged to provide a pair of spaced companion slats adjacent each end of said front cross rail and a plurality of spaced intermediate slats spaced between said pairs of companion slats, the slats of each pair of companion slats being provided with axially aligned sockets open to the space between them and located rearwardly with respect to, but adjacent said rail; a leg adjacent each end of said rail, disposed with its upper end portion between the companion slats at its respective end portion of the rail and. provided with a transverse hole axially aligned with said sockets; a hinge rod, for each of said legs, extending thru the said hole thereof and having its end portions accommodated in said sockets; and a back rest pivotally carried by the rear portion of said seat to swing forwardly to a folded position, said back rest including a plurality of spaced strips accommodated in the spaces between said intermediate slats and between the said pairs of companion slats and said intermediate slats when the back rest is swung forwardly to a folded position.

3. A folding convertible chair-table comprising, a horizontal seat or service portion comprising front and rear spaced cross rails and spaced slats secured upon said rails and extending across the space therebetween, said slats being arranged to provide a pair of spaced companion slats at each side of the seat or service portion, and a plurality of spaced intermediate slats spaced between said pairs of companion slats, the outermost slat of each companion pair of slats being substantially wedge shaped in plan with its widest end at said front rail, whereby the seat or service portion is wider at its front than at its rear; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs pivoted to said seat or service portion and adapted to be folded into the spaces between the slats of said pairs of companion slats; and a back rest pivotally carried by the rear 'portion of said seat or service portion to swing forwardly to a folded position, said back rest comprising side rails in diverging relation rfrom the pivotal connection of the back rest with the seat or service portion, a top rail connecting said side rails, and a plurality of strips intermediate said side rails and secured to said top rail, with the lower ends of said strips disposed in the spaces between said intermediate slats and between said pairs of companion slats and said intermediate slats, whereby said strips are accommodated in said last mentioned spaces and said side rails extend along and in close proximity to said wedge-shaped slats, when the back rest is folded down.

4. In a folding chair, the combination of a seat including a rear cross rail and a plurality of spaced parallel slats extending forwardly from said rail and secured thereupon, said slats provided with aligned transverse holes adjacent to and forwardly of said rail; a back rest comprising spaced side rails, a top rail connecting said side rails and a plurality of strips intermediate said side rails, secured to said top rail, said back rest disposed with the lower portions of its rails laterally of the outermost of said seat slats and the lower portions of said strips disposed between said seat slats, and said side rails and strips provided with transverse holes aligning with each other and with the holes of said slats, said lower ends of the strips being rounded and engaging said rear cross rail of the seat, the radius of said rounded ends of the strips being struck from the axis of said holes therein; a hinge rod extending thru said aligned holes of said slats and strips, hingedly connecting said seat and back rest whereby said strips bear against said rear cross rail of the seat, when the back rest is up and whereby said strips are accommodated between said slats when the back rest is folded down; and a stop bar secured to the upper rear portions of said slats, against which said side rails abut when the back rest is up.

MARIO AMADUCCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35,993 Cross July 29, 1862 920,650 Remsen et a1. May 4, 1909 1,241,449 Sundquist Sept. 25, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 85,370 Switzerland June 16, 1920 594,284 France June 15, 1925 649,060 France Aug. 21, 1928 655,872 France Dec. 22, 1928- 

